Product Description

From one of the greatest rock guitarists of our era comes a memoir that redefines sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll

He was born in England but reared in L.A., surrounded by the leading artists of the day amidst the vibrant hotbed of music and culture that was the early seventies. Slash spent his adolescence on the streets of Hollywood, discovering drugs, drinking, rock music, and girls, all while achieving notable status as a BMX rider. But everything changed in his world the day he first held the beat-up one-string guitar his grandmother had discarded in a closet.

The instrument became his voice and it triggered a lifelong passion that made everything else irrelevant. As soon as he could string chords and a solo together, Slash wanted to be in a band and sought out friends with similar interests. His closest friend, Steven Adler, proved to be a conspirator for the long haul. As hairmetal bands exploded onto the L.A. scene and topped the charts, Slash sought his niche and a band that suited his raw and gritty sensibility.

He found salvation in the form of four young men of equal mind: Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler, and Duff McKagan. Together they became Guns N' Roses, one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands of all time. Dirty, volatile, and as authentic as the streets that weaned them, they fought their way to the top with groundbreaking albums such as the iconic Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusion I and II.

Here, for the first time ever, Slash tells the tale that has yet to be told from the inside: how the band came together, how they wrote the music that defined an era, how they survived insane, never-ending tours, how they survived themselves, and, ultimately, how it all fell apart. This is a window onto the world of the notoriously private guitarist and a seat on the roller-coaster ride that was one of history's greatest rock 'n' roll machines, always on the edge of self-destruction, even at the pinnacle of its success. This is a candid recollection and reflection of Slash's friendships past and present, from easygoing Izzy to ever-steady Duff to wild-child Steven and complicated Axl.

It is also an intensely personal account of struggle and triumph: as Guns N' Roses journeyed to the top, Slash battled his demons, escaping the overwhelming reality with women, heroin, coke, crack, vodka, and whatever else came along.

He survived it all: lawsuits, rehab, riots, notoriety, debauchery, and destruction, and ultimately found his creative evolution. From Slash's Snakepit to his current band, the massively successful Velvet Revolver, Slash found an even keel by sticking to his guns.

Slash is everything the man, the myth, the legend, inspires: it's funny, honest, inspiring, jaw-dropping . . . and, in a word, excessive.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1986 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-30
• Released on: 2007-10-30
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 480 pages

Spin magazine
"Entertaining and educational...a crash course for aspiring rock gods.""

Entertainment Weekly
"Wonderfully frank."

About the Author

Slash lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife Perla, and their two sons, London and Cash.

Customer Reviews

Slash is so honest!
Slash
Slash is very honest in his book. It was a real page turner. I bought this book for my hubby for christmas. He finished it in 3 days. Then I got it and finished it in a week. Love it!! I hope to read more from this author in the future!!

Best book about GNR and of course, Slash
Finally got aroudn to ordering and reading this book, and I am certainly glad I did. Being a big GNR fan, I've always wanted to know what the band was really like and why they fell apart so quickly. Until Axl writes his own book, this book will be the best one about Guns N' Roses and their rise & fall. Slash decribes his upbringing, first learning to playing a guitar, and how GNR came to be in fluid detail. The making of AfD also is described with the source of every song.

Great Book
Even if you are not a GnR fan, this book has alot to offer. I highly recommend!